Location: 22800 BLOCK OF AVENUE 88, TERRA BELLA, CA.

Incident Date: 11-10-2018

Incident Time: 1226

Case Number: 18-14705

Posted by: Dispatch

On 11-15-18 at 1226 hours Deputies from the Porterville Sheriff’s Substation responded to a report of a stolen generator in the area of Avenue 88 and Road to 228 in Terra Bella.  Upon arrival they contacted the Reporting Party who said someone stole a generator that was on top of a flatbed trailer.  The generator had been stationed in a field and used to provide power to a nearby water pump.  The RP said the generator was valued at $80,000.

During the investigation, Deputies discovered the generator had been leased from a rental company and could be located, via GPS.  An inquiry revealed the generator and trailer were in the 24800 block of Avenue 236 in Lindsay, Ca.  Subsequently the Tulare County Sheriff’s airship unit, Tribute 1, responded to the location and was able to confirm the stolen property was parked behind the residence. 

Detectives from the Property Crimes Unit responded to the location where they contacted a resident named Robert Edwards, 54 years of age.  He allowed Detectives onto his property and acknowledged knowing about the generator.  During the investigation, Detectives discovered that Edwards knew the property was stolen and even tried to conceal it by covering it with black plastic.  The stolen property was processed by evidence technicians at the scene and later released to its owner.  The suspect, Robert Edwards was arrested without incident and booked at the Porterville Substation for possession of stolen property.   

Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Richard Morley or Detective Anthony Ellis at the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department via telephone at #1-800-808-0488 or anonymously at tcso@tipnow.com or by text or voicemail at #559-725-4194.